Buchanan County Commissioners provide opinion on SJSD high schools

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. (KQTV) -- In a Facebook post on Tuesday, St. Joseph School District Board of Education Member Whitney Lanning shared an email from Buchanan County Commissioners regarding their opinion on the district's looming high school model decision.

The email included signatures from Presiding Commissioner Scott Nelson, Eastern District Commissioner Scott Burnham and Western District Commissioner Ron Hook.

The email, received by Board Members and SJSD Superintendent Ashly McGinnis, at approximately 3:22 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, according to Lanning's post, showcases the Commissioner's stance on sticking with SJSD's infamous long-range plan.

"With enrollments falling and birth rates continuing to decline, we can no longer rely on the status quo," the email reads.

The Commissioners hammered on the fact that many of the district's buildings are more than six decades old, causing the district to divert funding to maintain the buildings, rather than using funds to improve student learning and teacher support.

The email also mentioned that having a strong school system will attract more families, businesses and qualified educators, "all vital to our city's economic future".

This response echoed St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Natalie Hawn, who called for the School Board to not stray from the long-range plan during a public comment session on Monday, Nov. 10.

The Board of Education held a work session on Monday, Nov. 17, to review Plan 2R, formerly known as Plan 2B, which would keep Central and Lafayette as the district's two main high schools.

Another session, with a public comment, will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 19, to discuss Plan 7B, which would turn Benton/Hyde into a high school campus and keep Central High School. It would also feature a four-middle school model.

The self-imposed deadline for the SJSD School Board to make a decision on which plan it will choose is Monday, Nov. 24.